The B-Side Experience: A Cultural Men’s Day Kickback & Ode to Hip-Hop
About this Event
Imagine one block where the barbershop, the cookout, and the block party all live for a day.
Got it? Good... YOU'RE INVITED!!
The B-Side Experience is a free, all-day celebration and ode to classic hip-hop with the culture around it. The music runs from noon to close, moving through the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. There’s food, a throwback cocktail bar, 45 local Black and Brown-owned businesses to shop, and four cultural activations happening on the yard you can jump into.
Here’s exactly what goes down:
✂️ A live barber competition you can watch or get a community "give-back" cut in.
Barbers from across the city cut head-to-head while judges score them, shown on a big screen so the whole yard can follow the action. They’re battling for scholarships and tools to grow their careers. Want a fresh cut yourself? Book a chair for a $15 donation and one of these barbers becomes your barber for the day. You leave looking sharp at a "give-back" price, they get to show their skills on you, you "give-back" with a generous tip.
🎧 A hip-hop time machine and a best-shades contest.
The soundtrack travels era by era, from 80s boom-bap to 90s classics to 2000s anthems, celebrating the music that raised a generation. Roll up in your flyest shades and you will be automatically entered in the "King of Props" best-shades contest: the whole yard votes by "giving props" to the attendee with the freshest look. The winner recieves a trophy and a $50 prize.
🃏 A Spades and Dominoes tournament — talk your trash, win the crown.
64 teams go head-to-head in a bracket-style tournament for bragging rights, a $100 cash team prize and the championship trophies. Come with your partner or get matched with someone on the spot. Every entry fee helps fund local survivors of domestic violence, so the most fun you’ll have all day is also doing some good.
🎙️ A live “Real-talk Cypher” you’ll catch all over the yard.
The Cyphers are the wellness core of the day. Behind closed doors, a rotating group of community leaders and legends record four raw, authentic, unscripted conversations in a structured, moderated, stigma-reducing environment aimed at connecting men to mentorship, resources, and one another. Speakers will be dropping gems on identity, building wealth, mental health, fatherhood, vulnerabilty, and looking out for your community — broadcasted live over the yard’s speakers, so whether you are getting a cut, at a table, or grabbing food, you’re hearing it. It’s made to get you and the people around you talking, and you can jump into the live group chat on your phone to keep it going.
🏪 A vibrant vendor market where the culture proves it can sustain itself.
A yard full of local small businesses and artisans built by and for the people this event serves. That includes the cook perfecting his jerk chicken, the designer with original fits reflecting the culture, the natural hair-care line built from scratch, the financial coach passing on pearls of wisdom, the non-profit organizations dedicated to strenthening the community through mentorship, and many more!
ℹ️ The straight talk on cost: Walking in is free, all day. A couple of things are pay-to-play: a haircut or a seat in the tournament with proceeds going back into the community. Want it all handled with extras? A VIP pass ($65) covers a guaranteed haircut + enhancement, your tournament team entry, two drinks, and a $25 gift card to spend with the vendors.
Bring your partner, bring the kids, bring whoever needs a good day. This one’s for the whole community!!
📍 African American Cultural & Heritage Facility · 912 E 11th St, Austin, TX
📅 Saturday, August 1, 2026 · 12PM–7PM
🎟️ Free to attend · Family-friendly · Register now and we’ll save you a spot
Produced by The House of eMaGi™ · Fiscally sponsored by the Impact Empowerment Network Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity.
Agenda
🕑: 12:00 PM
Doors Open
Info: Music starts (80s era), the marketplace opens, and the yard comes alive. Free to walk in.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
Tournament Sign-Up
Info: Last call to register your Spades or Dominoes team (pre-registration highly encouraged).
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:40 PM
The Tables: Spades & Dominoes Tournament Begins - Round 1 (all tables)
Info: 64 teams, 5 rounds, bracket-style, playing for the championship crowns.
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:10 PM
The Cyphers: “The Crown”
Info: Conversations Go Live - Track 1: identity & self-image
🕑: 01:55 PM - 02:35 PM
Spades & Dominoes Tournament Round 2
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:10 PM
The Cyphers: “The Hustle”
Info: Conversation Track 2: building wealth & business
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:15 PM
The Fades: Barber audition cuts
Info: Each barber brings one live model with at least two weeks of growth for a 30-minute audition cut.
🕑: 02:50 PM - 03:30 PM
Spades & Dominoes Tournament Round 3
🕑: 03:15 PM - 03:30 PM
Pick Your Barber
Info: Haircut booking window opens
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:10 PM
The Cyphers: “The Real”
Info: Conversation Track 3: mental health & fatherhood
🕑: 03:30 PM - 06:00 PM
The Fades: Live Cuts Begin
Info: Book a $15 chair and one of the competing barbers is your barber. Watch the battle on screen all afternoon.
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:25 PM
Spades & Dominoes Tournament Round 4
🕑: 04:30 PM - 05:10 PM
The Cyphers: “The Alliance”
Info: Conversation Track 4: community & accountability
🕑: 04:40 PM - 05:20 PM
Spades & Dominoes Tournament Round 5
🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:10 PM
Tournament Championship Rounds
Info: The final teams play for the crown.
🕑: 06:05 PM - 06:45 PM
Barber Showcase Finale Runoff
Info: Finalists draw an era prompt (“1980s structure,” “1990s precision,” or “2000s
fusion”) and execute an original, photo-ready design to determine the champions. While the six finalists compete, attendees vote for their favorite cut in real time by the “Yard’s Choice” vote.
🕑: 06:50 PM
Awards Ceremony
Info: Winners are crowned: 3 tier barber champions, Kings of the Table, “King of Props” winner
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00 to USD 65.00
